My Kitchen Christmas

I started a post on my other blog and was planning to write about my Christmas gifts there, but the post ended up going a totally different way than I had planned.

I love when that happens.  

Sometimes.

Instead of posting a recipe, which has been long overdue, I'm going to tell you about my Kitchen Christmas*.

*Translation: All the fun gadgets and gizmos I got for the kitchen!

Hubby and I started celebrating together on Christmas Eve's Eve a few years ago.  All during our dating years and our early newlywed years we waited until Christmas Day to give each other our gifts.  Then we realized, "Hey! We're in charge here!  Since we already get gifts on Christmas Eve (my family) and Christmas Day (his family), we might as well start the excitement early on Christmas Eve Eve".  

Hubby was out of bed early Christmas Eve Eve morning, which is not too unusual since neither of us can ever sleep in too late anymore.  Instinct told me he was heading to the gym, but when the sound of drilling woke me up around 7:00 am, I decided he had not gone to the gym.  (It was either that or we had prowlers).  I could only assume Hubby was putting together a gift for me, but I had no more of an idea what it was with the sound of drilling than I had without it.  Though I really wanted to tear out of bed, race downstairs, and catch him in the middle of whatever he was doing, I did my best to occupy myself upstairs until the sound of drilling stopped and I heard Hubby flip on Christmas music in the living room.

The doorway to my kitchen was wrapped:

And still I had no idea what to expect beyond the wrapping paper.

At this point, I was starting to put it together, and was almost sure, but not willing to take a guess on what lay underneath the ceiling to table wrapping.

I am forever complaining about several things regarding my kitchen, and space is certainly one of them.  Not only did Hubby get me a place to hang extra pots and pans I have accumulated, he also bought me some more that I had been wanting.

Now for the specifics.  Hubby is extremely good at sifting through reviews and finding the product that is highly rated in customer satisfaction and quality.  My new pots and pans are proof of this. He was a little more excited than me about the brand he had purchased.  I explained that I would become excited as I began to use them and realized their awesomeness.  I then explained I was still in shock over my gift and considering that I had just rolled out of bed he should have been happy I was able to even speak let alone express emotion so early in the day.

I know, I have issues.  He knew it before he married me.  Of that I am certain.

While shopping in Williams and Sonoma a few months ago, we came across these awesome loaf pans: 

                                   

Alright, they weren't actually these pans.  While I do love Williams and Sonoma, they want your first born for most items in their store.  Hubby found both on Amazon.com.  The silver is an Italian loaf pan and can be found here:  Italian loaf pan and the black is a French baguette pan and can be found here:  French baguette pan.

Hubby bought me four cookbooks:

Don't you love how he wrapped them?

Two of the books are specifically for baking breads. My house is going to smell awesome in the upcoming months.

The other two books are Hubby's way to try and get me to give Giada a chance...we'll see about that.

I'm sure this next item you will be shocked to find out that I did not have up until this week.  It seems like a 'duh!' item for someone who is in the kitchen frequently.  While I had occasionally looked for one, nothing ever peaked my interest, so I never purchased one.

                                             

This is the most amazing recipe book holder in the world.  I'm sure I exaggerate, but please let me have my moment of ignorance.  I've used it only once so far, but can no longer imagine my world without it.  The best part, by far, is the splatter shield.  While of course, those splatters and stuck together pages in cookbooks lets others know which recipes and books are most loved, they also make for an eventual wear and tear down of these prized books.

For the link click here.   

Finally, but in truth not final for there are several things I've left out to tell of another time, is my waffle maker.  My sister-in-law got a waffle maker from my parents and when I saw hers I knew I needed one and instantly resolved to buy the waffle maker on my Amazon.com wishlist with my Christmas money.  

Lucky for me, my secret Santa in my husband's family bought it for me.  I made waffles yesterday morning and was overly pleased.  One batch made five Belgian waffles.  Hubby and I both had one for breakfast.  I froze two and put the other in the fridge.  

It didn't make it to the afternoon.

I'm not at all ashamed about that either.

Of all the options out there, I knew I wanted a Belgian waffle maker and one that flipped like in the fancy restaurants.  (Okay, I'm being a bit dramatic by dropping the word 'fancy' here).

                                                               

Here's the link: Flip Belgian Waffle Maker

My kitchen was greatly blessed this Christmas.  My hope is that I can put to good use all the many kitchen gadgets and tools to be a blessing to others throughout the year whether it is through simply posting an awesome recipe, making a batch of cookies for a friend, or inviting someone over to share a meal.

May you and your kitchen be blessed this Christmas and in 2014 as well!